Michelangelo

With his awe-inspiring talent across a range of artistic disciplines and insatiable curiosity, Michelangelo was one of the most important figures of the Italian Renaissance. The vast scale of his works, as well as his skilful use of proportion and exceptional understanding of anatomy, give his paintings and sculptures a dynamism and sense of emotion that has rarely been matched. In just 50 minutes, you will find out how Michelangelo’s work shaped the course of Western art history and inspired countless later artists, including the painters and sculptors of the Mannerism movement.

This clear and straightforward guide will provide you with a discussion of Michelangelo’s most important works, including his iconic sculpture David, his fresco The Last Judgment and his paintings on the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. It also features a full biography, an introduction to the historical context in which his work was produced, and an examination of the influence his frescoes, sculptures and architectural creations had on later artists, giving you all the essential information about one of the most celebrated figures in art history.

About Michelangelo

Michelangelo, full name Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, displayed exceptional artistic talent from an early age, and produced celebrated works across a range of disciplines. At the beginning of his career, he focused on painting and sculpture, before dedicating the final years of his life to architecture, with commissions such as the tomb of Pope Julius II. Although he was one of the most revered artists of his time and inspired countless later painters and sculptors, he was never fully satisfied with his own work and abandoned a number of projects before completion.

This insightful and accessible 78-page book is structured as follows:

• Introduction to Michelangelo
• Social, political and historical context
  • The art of the Italian Renaissance
  • The changing status of the artist
• Biography of Michelangelo
  • Michelangelo and the scarpellini
  • Great projects
  • Final years
• Characteristics of Michelangelo’s work
  • A monumental style
  • The Pietà
  • The tondi
  • Frescoes
• Notable works
  • The Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome
  • David
  • Doni Tondo
  • The Creation of Adam
  • Moses
  • The Last Judgment
• Michelangelo’s legacy
  • Mannerism
  • Michelangelo in the 19^th century
• Summary